The present invention is concerned with a telecommunications system for crediting a vending machine, meter, such as a parking meter, amusement machine, video game machine, change machine, gaming machine or other cash or coin operable device. Machines and devices to which the present invention may be applied will herein be known as creditable machines.
Conventionally creditable machines must be credited by means of cash or the use of a magnetic or electronic payment card (sometimes known as a smart card) such as a credit card. Cash presents a number of problems to both the customer desiring to use the creditable machine and the proprietor of the creditable machine in that the user must have the correct currency and the proprietor must regularly empty the cash accumulated in a safe of the creditable machine. The latter action implies problems of security and labour in banking the cash. The machine is always a security risk as the cash presents a tempting target for theft. The use of payment cards alleviates some of these problems, however, the customer still needs to have a payment card valid for the machine. A similar problem exists for street vendors such as market traders who have particular difficulty in maintaining cash floats and security. The present invention seeks to alleviate the aforementioned problems. According to the present invention there is provided a method for crediting a creditable machine provided with a telephone interface device by means of a separate telephone crediting machine and a remote pay centre server comprising the steps of:
(i) operating the telephone crediting machine to contact the pay centre server and communicate a customer identification code to the pay centre server,
(ii) operating the telephone crediting machine to communicate a telephone interface device identification code, displayed on the creditable machine, to the pay centre server,
(iii) the pay centre server responding to the interface device identification code by sending a transaction data request message to the user,
(iv) the user sending the transaction data to the pay centre server by means of the telephone crediting machine,
(v) the pay centre server interrogating user account data for approval of the transaction, and if the transaction is approved, logging the transaction data at the pay centre server,
(vi) sending an enable signal to the telephone interface device,
(vii) the telephone interface device responding to the enable signal by sending a credit signal to the creditable machine.
The credit signal delivered to the creditable machine will include currency data in accordance with the transaction data received from the crediting machine. The creditable machine will then be enabled to vend goods, games credits or services to the value of the currency data as if the transaction had been implemented conventionally.
After the step (vii) the pay centre server will log the transaction details in memory. Before the lines of communication are closed the telephone interface device may signal that the creditable machine has performed as required, e.g., has vended the goods or services and/or recorded the transaction details. The method may include the step of offering to establish an account with the pay centre server operator when new customer""s telephone a number displayed on the creditable machine. The method may permit the logged transaction data to be read out or to be interrogated remotely.
In order to ensure the security of transactions the method may also comprise the steps of:
the pay centre server responding to the creditable machine identification code to generate and transmit a random security code to the telephone interface device for display,
operating the crediting machine to communicate the random security code from the telephone interface device to the pay centre server,
the pay centre server comparing the random security code as sent to the telephone interface device and the random security code as received from the telephone crediting machine and proceeding with the transaction by the step of sending a transaction data request message only if the sent and received random security codes match.
The method preferably relies on wireless communication using cellular telephony, particularly GSM or its successors such as G3. In general throughout this specification the term GSM should be understood accordingly. The crediting machine may be a GSM telephone with data input and transmission by use of the keypad or it may be any other device capable of GSM communication. To minimise the costs of the transaction the line of communication between the pay centre server and the crediting machine is preferably disconnected as soon as the transaction data is received.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a telephone interface device for installation in a creditable machine comprising a communicator for telecommunication with a remote pay centre server, and means to enable the creditable machine whereby said telephone interface device is responsive to transaction signals transmitted from the remote server to send a credit signal to the creditable machine.
Most commonly it is envisaged that the creditable machine will be a vending machine or gaming machine. In this situation enabling the vending machine will result in the machine vending goods or services. In the case of a gaming machine the game will be enabled and so be played. In some cases the creditable machine will be a meter such as a parking meter, in which instance the meter may respond by indicating a credited parking time or issuing a ticket/receipt for credited parking or indicating some other form of credited product or service. It is also envisaged that the creditable machine may be a machine employed by a vendor to execute a transaction, this may be particularly useful to street vendors or others without convenient access to fixed landline facilities. In this case the creditable machine will indicate a credit transfer from a purchaser""s account to a vendors account.
The telephone interface device will often be retrofitted to a preexisting creditable machine. The interface device may have its own controller to manage the actions of the communicator, a display and the enabling means. The interface device is preferably provided with a memory capable of logging the transaction data locally and may provide for enabling the creditable machine by communicating with an electronic control system including a credit register of the creditable machine.
For security and ease of installation it is preferable that the interface device communicator is a wireless (GSM) communicator. The communicator will communicate data in an encrypted form for security. Preferably the device will include a memory whereby transactions can be logged. The pay centre server will preferably be connected to a global cellular (GSM) network by a landline and will preferably be capable of establishing simultaneous lines of communication with each of the crediting machine and the creditable machine.
Although the term xe2x80x9cdisplayxe2x80x9d has been used and suggests a visual display device which might be any of a simple label to a CRT, LED, LCD or mechanical visual display, the term for these purposes may also include synthesised or recorded voice communication, braille or some combination of such display devices.